I am currently helping Steve Yohe and Scott Teal compile a Wilbur Snyder record book. I hope to have my additions to Steve and Scott's listings done by New Years Day. Once everything is done, I will post the record book here on this thread. I'm sure there are people on this board that have other Snyder listings that can be added. Corrections and comments will also be appreciated.

Lou Thesz retained his claim to the world wrestling title last night when he tossed Wilbur Snyder, two out of three falls, before a sellout crowd of 10,400 at Olympic Auditorium. It was the non-televised opener of the regular card.

Each man had to take to the air to register falls. Thesz won the opening heat in 45:07 with a flying tackle. Wilbur came back with a flying scissors to tie the score at the 10:52 mark. A flying mare by Thesz won him the match in 16:48.

In the TV main, Bobo Brazil parlayed a dropkick and a flying tackle to whip Gene Kiniski in two straight falls.

4/26/55 Cape Girardeau, MO @ Arena
Referee Joe Herman of St. Louis
The Mask beat Wilbur Snyder on a 3rd fall dq
1 Snyder pinned The Mask in 11:20 "after a series of body blocks and drop kicks"
2 The Mask pinned Snyder in 3:34 after "head butts and several well placed rights and lefts"
3 Snyder was dq'ed for turning The Mask's mask around so The Mask could not see
Mae Weston beat Bonnie Watson 2/3
1 Watson pinned Weston in 11:06 "with a small package"
2 Weston pinned Watson in 12:13 after "a series of arm drags and whips"
3 Weston pinned Watson in 5:10 after Bonnie missed "an attempted dive" and landed "flat on her stomach"
Vic Holbrook beat Ralph Garibaldi via pin in 15:50

10/18/55 Dallas, TX @ Sportatorium
United Nations Wrestling Tournament
first round
Duke Keomuka vs The Mongol
Tiny Mills vs Wilbur Snyder
George Bollas vs Pepper Gomez
Gino Nicolini vs Danny Savich
Leo Garibaldi vs Stu Gibson
Hans Hermann vs Gregario Jarque
Notes: Each wrestler posted $500 to enter the tournament and the winner would receive a $5,000 purse. The runner-up would receive $1,650 and third $750. The 12 wrestlers paid $6,000 in total and McLemore added the additional $1,500. Garibaldi was reportedly a member of the United States Air Force and was stationed at Austin, Texas.

6/14/57 Chicago, IL @ International Amphitheatre
referee: Ed Whalen
Edouard Carpentier beat Lou Thesz on a 3rd fall dq to win NWA title
1 Thesz won the first fall in 17:22
2 Carpentier won the second in 3:39
3 Carpentier won the 3rd in 4:42 by dq
Thesz was injured and using the ropes for protection.
Thesz was also going from corner to corner to stay away from his opponent.
Reggie Lisowski & Stan Lisowski beat Bill Melby & Pedro Godoy
Wilbur Snyder beat Sheik of Araby
Angelo Poffo beat Larry Moquin
Sharon Lass beat Ada Ash
promoter: Fred Kohler
referee: Ed Whalen
Att: 5,682 fans, gate: $13,246
Notes: The Chicago American newspaper and Fred Kohler’s official program both printed that Edouard Carpentier was the new World Heavyweight Champion. Lass was said to be a “19-year old all around girl athlete from Milwaukee, who water skis in the summer, skis on snow in the winter and partakes of many other sports activities, all of which led her to wrestling.” Ash was a “performer of Amazonian acts, including the lifting of a Shetland pony.” Carpentier was said to have arrived in Canada from Europe 11 months earlier and “after a six months campaign in Canada, came to the United States where his success has been outstanding.”

6/15/57 Fort Wayne, IN
Snyder did not appear for a match against Dick The Bruiser.

6/20/57 Indianapolis, IN @ Midget Speedway
Wilbur Snyder beat Dick “Bruiser” Afflis (sub Lou Thesz) on a 3rd fall dq
American Tag Team Champions Stu Gibson & Lou Plummer drew Bill Longson & Bobby Managoff when the time limit expired in the 3rd fall
The Sheik of Araby beat Ian Campbell with a sleeper hold in 11:00
matchmaker: Dick Patton
referee: Connie Marker
Notes: Thesz was in local promotions to appear and defend his world title against Snyder up through the day of the show. The report in the June 21 Indianapolis Star stated that Thesz was “hospitalized Wednesday night in Evansville after suffering head injuries in a match there. Physicians yesterday sent Thesz to his home in St. Louis to recuperate and his bookings for the next week were cancelled.” Also, the paper said “the Indiana State Athletic Commission yesterday suspsended Thesz until he can pass a physical exam.” Afflis was initially booked to wrestle Longson and Stu Gibson was to take on Bobby Managoff in singles matches. Ian Campbell was to wrestle Lou Plummer. Sheik was not booked to appear.

11/14/57 Indianapolis, IN @ The Armory
Wilbur Snyder beat Dick Afflis on a 3rd fall dq
Boris Volkoff & Nicoli Volkoff beat George Drake & Carl Engstrom 2/3
Bobby Managoff beat Gino Angelo in 15:00
matchmaker: Dick Patton
referee: Connie Marker
Notes: The local press built up the Snyder-Afflis match as a bout between ex-football stars. “Snyder did his grid chores for Utah University before entering Canadian pro ball, while Afflis, a former Shortridge athlete, starred with Purdue, Nevada, and the pro Green Bay Packers.”

11/18/57 Fort Wayne, IN
Don Leo Jonathan beat Wilbur Snyder

11/21/57 Indianapolis, IN @ The Armory
penalty belt match, both men were penalized and forced to wear the belt
Wilbur Snyder beat Dick “Bruiser” Afflis on a 3rd fall COR
Billy Two Rivers beat Don DeCortez in 3:00
Bobby Managoff beat The Sheik of Araby dq in 12:00
matchmaker: Dick Patton
referee: Connie Marker
announcer: Ed Smith
Notes: According to the November 21, 1957 edition of the Indianapolis Star, “pro wrestling will unveil a new penalty method at the Armory tonight; The Indiana State Athletic Commission has granted matchmaker Dick Patton the right to give the penelty belt a trial run in tonight’s rematch [between Afflis and Snyder]; The belt can be applied in 30 seconds and is called into play when a contestant commits a major foul.

Once clamped into place, the belt restricts the offending matman to the use of only one arm. First infractions call for a one minute belt penalty. Subsequent periods are for two and three minutes."

12/5/57 Indianapolis, IN @ The Armory
Bobby Managoff & Wilbur Snyder beat Boris Volkoff & Nicoli Volkoff on a 3rd fall dq
Carl Engstrom beat Jack Allen 2/3
1 Allen beat Engstrom
2 Engstrom beat Allen in 35 seconds
3 Engstrom beat Allen in 8:00
(Allen was originally scheduled to wrestle Sheik of Araby in the city’s second “penalty belt match”)
Tony Silipini beat Gino Angelo in 20:00
matchmaker: Dick Patton
referee: Harris Burris
Notes: The local newspaper said that the Volkoffs lost their claim to the World Tag Team Title to The Lisowskis, who were, in turn, beaten by Joe Tangaro and Guy Brunetti “here in Indianapolis.” Allen was said to be from Pittsburgh. Silipini was from Buffalo and Gino Angelo was said to be from Toledo.

2/6/58 Indianapolis, IN @ The Armory
Bobby Managoff drew Wilbur Snyder when the 60 minute time limit expired in the 3rd fall
Ethel Johnson beat Babs Wingo on a 3rd fall dq
Angelo Poffo beat Stan Lisowski 2/3
Poffo won the second and third falls by countout after Lisowski suffered a back injury
matchmaker: Dick Patton
referee: Paul Mullin
Att: 2,500 fans
Note: Both Managoff and Snyder were looking for a match with NWA World Champion Dick Hutton on February 27.

11/4/58 Indianapolis, IN @ Armory
Angelo Poffo beat Bobby Managoff 2/3
Dick the Bruiser beat Bill Longson
Wilbur Snyder beat Johnny Ace
Corrine Cordero beat Peggy King
promoter: Balk Estes
referee: Paul Mullin
Att: 3,300 fans, capacity
Notes: Season Opener. The facility was at 711 North Pennsylvania Street. According to the press report, “election returns will be announced between bouts,” during this show. Referee Mullin was from Richmond. Ace was said to be from St. Joseph and King from Nashville.

12/27/58 Cincinnati OH
Angelo Poffo defeats Wilbur Snyder on TV to win the US title. This title history gets skewered after this, as title changes in other places are sometimes recognized, and sometimes not, until Indianapolis has a separate lineage from other towns up to Estes and Barnett closing up shop.

2/10/59 Indianapolis, IN @ The Armory
US Champion Angelo Poffo beat Johnny Weaver 2-0
Edouard Carpentier beat Martino Angelo in 8:40
Wilbur Snyder beat Legs Wilson in 10:00
Little Beaver & Mario Valentino Sanchez beat Pee Wee James & Mighty Schultz 2-0
promoter: Balk Estes
Att: 3,600 fans, 2,000 turned away, Gate: $6,300)
Notes: The Indianapolis Star stated that “Wilbur Snyder, of Woodland Hills, Cal., former University of Utah wrestling and football star, will calsh with Legs Wilson of Canada. Snyder played pro football with the Los Angeles Rams and the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian league but eventually gave up his $8,000 a year football career to concentrate on pro wrestling and soon boomed into the $40,000 a year earning bracket.” Wilson was Bob “Legs” Langevin, who was traveling with Edouard Carpentier. Poffo was called the U.S. heavyweight champion. After his loss, Weaver was taken to Methodist Hospital, but “no injury could be found.”

8/18/59 Anderson, IN @ National Guard Armory
Dick The Bruiser vs Wilbur Snyder 2/3
World Tag Team Champions Roy Shire & Ray Shire vs Don McClarty & Johnny Weaver 2/3 60:00
Plus a one fall 30 minute bout with opponents to be named
Promoter: Jim Cox from C/F promotions
Note: Snyder reportedly lost the US Title "last Friday night in Cincinnati Gardens to Mitsu Arakawa." Another report in the same Anderson, IN newspaper said Snyder lost the US Title to Arakawa "two weeks ago in Cincinatti."

11/25/59 Denver, CO @ Auditorium Arena
United States Champion Wilbur Snyder beat Reggie Lisowski on a 3rd fall dq
1 Lisowski won the first fall in 11:16
2 Snyder won the second in 8:58
3 Snyder won the third by dq in 7:40
Verne Gagne beat Dick the Bruiser on a 3rd fall dq
1 Bruiser won the first fall in 15:16
2 Gagne won the second in 13:58
3 Gagne won the third by dq in 5:21
Women’s Champion June Byers beat Jill Hill (2-0)
Ernie Dusek vs Angelo Poffo – Canceled because Poffo reportedly was unable to make it to Denver due to bad weather
promoters: Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle
referee: Leo Bahl
Att: 3,000

Ad in Newspaper
4/19/61 Anderson, IN @ National Guard Armory
TV Taping
8 bouts featuring Bob Ellis, Dick The Bruiser, The Sheik, Bobo Brazil, Johnny Weaver, Red Bastien, Lou Bastien, Art Neilson, Ray Shite and many other top stars
Note: "Movies to be made of all bouts to be shown later on Channel 4"

10/24/62 Denver, CO @ Coliseum
AWA Champion Karl Gotch beat Art Neilson 2-0, 1st fall by dq
1 Gotch won the first fall by dq
2 Gotch won the second in 9:51 with a a rolling suplex
Gotch was billed as being from one of the “Iowa Gotches”
Gotch was billed as the “Kirk Douglas of the Mat”
Women’s Champion June Byers beat Darlene Shields in 14:43
Dick the Bruiser beat Lord Athol Layton 2/3 to capture the United States Heavyweight Title
1 Bruiser won the first fall in 7:48
2 Layton won the second
3 Bruiser took the third
Layton was billed as just having won the U.S. Title.
Bill Miller drew Wilbur Snyder 30:00
promoters: Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle
Note: On September 14, 1962 in Columbus, Ohio, Karl Gotch beat Don Leo Jonathan to capture the AWA World Heavyweight Title.

In February of 1964, Bruiser and Snyder take out a license to promote wrestling, and they were stripped by the Estes office of the AWA tag team title. When Bruiser and Snyder start running shows under their own banner, they continue to be billed as World Tag Team Champions, using this claim. Estes in the mean time, had a tournament and recognized a new set of tag team champions. All bouts were at the Northside Armory.

10/30/65 Indianapolis, IN @ Fairgrounds Coliseum (from the Indianapolis Star)
Several hundred boiling mad wrestling fans milled around the hallway in front of the dressing room at the Coliseum for better than an hour last night after Dick the Bruiser was declared unfit to continue in a Texas "death match." Dr. L.J.Holliday of Lafayette,state athlectic commissioner who also is team physician for Jeff's Broncho's, stopped Bruiser's match with Gene Kiniski because of blood flowing from a cut in Bruiser's forehead. The cut was inflicted, according to ringside reports, before the match began when Kiniski clouted Bruiser with the championship belt. Six stitches were required, & official said the crowd became enraged because Kiniski purportedly was out on the mat, while Bruiser, with blood streaming
down his face, still was ready to fight. Bruiser had thrown Kiniski 5 times prior to the stopping of the bout. Police were unable to move the crowd out. Shouts of "fake" & demands for money returns were made, but eventually the fans dispersed. They were calling & visiting The Star with bitter complaints. More than 6,000 attended the match.
WWA Tag Title Champions The Assassins beat Bob Ellis & Joe Brunetti
Johnny Valentine drew Wilbur Snyder 45:00
Angelo Poffo beat Moose Cholak
Masked Hercules beat Dennis Dolly

Fred Kohler sold his remaining interests in Chicago to Verne Gagne and Wilbur Snyder. Bruiser, Snyder and Gagne established Bob Luce as the “general manager” and “matchmaker” for the Chicago Wrestling Club, Inc.

2/26/66 Chicago, IL @ International Amphitheatre
AWA Title vs WWA Title
AWA Champion Mad Dog Vachon beat WWA Champion Dick the Bruiser COR *
Verne Gagne & Wilbur Snyder beat AWA Tag Team Champions Larry Hennig & Harley Race dq
Chris Markoff beat Guy Mitchell
Moose Cholak beat Huey Long
The Assassin beat Jose Betancourt
Santiago Acosta drew Angelo Poffo
* The winner of the Vachon/Bruiser match would be recognized as the World Champion in Chicago & the loser's title would never again be mentioned. Even though Bruiser did not lose the WWA title to Vachon, Dick still lost the match. From that point forward, only AWA titles would be recognized in Chicago. This stip went for the Tag Titles as well. The WWA titles weren't even mentioned on television in Chicago after that.

8/19/67 Indianapolis, IN @ Bush Stadium
WWA Champion Mitsu Arakawa beat Dick the Bruiser
Blackjack Lanza beat Wilbur Snyder
Handicap Match, Crusher must beat both men within 30 minutes or he will lost the bout
The Crusher beat Chris Markoff but did not beat Bobby Heenan before the 30 minute time limit expired
Moose Cholak drew John Paul Henning

4/9/76 St. Louis, MO @ Kiel Auditorium
Dick the Bruiser beat Blackjack Lanza
Gene Kiniski beat Bob Backlund
Non Title Match
Missouri Champion Harley Race drew Pat O’Connor 30:00
Wilbur Snyder & Ray Candy beat Chuck O’Connor & Ox Baker when Snyder beat O’Connor
Betty Niccoli beat Joyce Grable
Lord Alfred Hayes beat Guy Mitchell
Tank Patton beat Paul Christy
att. 4,848
Notes from Larry Matysik: By this date, from a booking viewpoint, it should have been pretty obvious how important Bobby Heenan was to the dynamic of Blackjack Lanza drawing, particularly against Dick the Bruiser. Granted, business was slow in 1976 from a combination of things, with too many house shows over the past couple years to use of talent. But Heenan was the key to Lanza being a drawing card. Jack was a strong presence, a good ring general, and a perfect foe for Bruiser’s type of match at this time. But the string had pretty well been played out for confrontations between the two of them, especially with Heenan out of the picture. Credit stubbornness, though, for trying this as a co-feature again in December, and drawing another lousy crowd.

4/23/76 St. Louis, MO @ Kiel Auditorium
NWA Champion Terry Funk beat Dick the Bruiser on a 3rd fall dq
Bob Backlund beat Harley Race to win the Missouri State Title
Pat O’Connor & Chris Taylor beat Blackjack Lanza & Von Raschke when Taylor beat Raschke
Wilbur Snyder beat Kim Duk
Ray Candy beat Bulldog Bob Brown
Haiti Kid & Little Coco beat Billy the Kid & Little John 2/3
1 Billy beat Coco
2 Coco beat Billy
3 Haiti beat John
Russ Francis beat Tank Patton
att: 7,567
Notes from Larry Matysik: Oh, what could have been! Russ Francis, then an All-Pro tight end for football’s New England Patriots, had everything to be a superstar in wrestling. Big, strong, fast, athletic, handsome, charismatic, and with the football stature, Francis had most promoters – including Sam – drooling. Francis’ father Ed had been a wrestler and promoter in Hawaii, so Russ knew the game. Just this match verified everything insiders were saying. Francis, though, could make more money in football by this time. Football players were getting more money and not searching as they once did for extra bucks in the off-season, or a career after football. Francis stayed on the gridiron and wrestling was poorer for that loss of great potential. Ironically, also on this bill was 400-plus pounder Chris Taylor, who had gained national attention as a collegiate champion. A truly nice guy, Taylor simply never grasped pro wrestling. Plus, he would have been difficult to book with his huge size and lack of agility in aprofessional ring. Every promoter sensed potential, but quickly noted the difficulties. Unfortunately, Taylor passed away very young and, aside from initial mainstream publicity for going into pro wrestling, never amounted to much in the play-for-pay ranks.

7/15/77 St. Louis, MO @ Kiel Auditorium
Missouri Champion Jack Brisco beat Bulldog Bob Brown
Dory Funk Jr beat Bobby Duncum
Wilbur Snyder & Rufus R Jones beat Ray Stevens & Jimmy Valiant when Jones beat Valiant
Black Angus won a Wrestle Royal by outlasting in order out Denny Alberts, Bennie Ramirez, Ronnie Etchison, Don Wayt, Buck Robley, Bob Geigel, Bob Sweetan, Bobby Jaggers, Ron Starr, Ivan Koloff and Randy Tyler
Black Angus drew Ivan Koloff
Bob Sweetan beat Denny Alberts
Ron Starr beat Bennie Ramirez
att: 5,296
Notes from Larry Matysik: This was the first July house show since at least the 1950s. Sam Muchnick liked to take a summer vacation to help rest the fans and build anticipation for what was originally a “new season.” There was, however, still the necessity of producing “Wrestling at the Chase” ever weekend for television. The summer tv cards had become weak in the late 1960s before the concept of using a month or so of out-oftown programs began. That helped for a change-of-pace, but still a few weeks of St. Louis shows were needed to get rolling with specific booking for St. Louis in August. Muchnick agreed with the idea that adding a July card would bring in big names that could also be used for the television tapings. Economics were at play, along with a dose of politics. KPLR paid the St. Louis Wrestling Club $1,500 per taping day {three shows, $500 per show} for talent. Naturally, it was wise for the promotion to stay within that budget. If a spot card were scheduled for Saturday between Kiel on Friday and taping on Sunday, transportation costs could be saved for certain talent. Over the years, however, most big names would fly out for a more lucrative card somewhere on Saturday {hopefully relatively close} and fly back for Sunday taping. A few would stay in St. Louis, but it meant giving up a profitable Saturday booking somewhere for a major player. Sam accepted it as a cost of doing business but tried to keep it under control. This, of course, meant more Kansas City talent was used on tv, and as it turned out at Kiel. At any rate, the idea of a July card was to bring to town a couple of stronger names who could be held over for tv and thus build for late summer dates. Sam figured just breaking even or making a few dollars was a good trade-off. The idea never quite worked as it was designed to, but it did generally add a name or two that made the Chase shows a bit stronger than if they were only KC guys.

Great work on Snyder's Record book. I may have to print it out as I find them easier to follow if I have it in book form. I also like seeing the full cards, you can see his placement on the card as well as won/loss record. I don't think I have any Snyder matches that I can add but I'll check. Thanks for posting.

JOpiela wrote: Great work on Snyder's Record book. I may have to print it out as I find them easier to follow if I have it in book form. I also like seeing the full cards, you can see his placement on the card as well as won/loss record. I don't think I have any Snyder matches that I can add but I'll check. Thanks for posting.

Thanks for the kind words. The complete card stuff is JMK influence. JMK always does that in his record books that he sends out by mass email. So now I do it. Having the complete card listed also helps people working on other records books for different wrestlers appearing on those shows.

I actually have those cards but didn't think to check Detroit after the first promotional war between Sheik and Bruiser ended in the mid 1960s. Thanks Rich. I found another Detroit listing as well from January 31, 1970. Looks like Sheik and Bruiser made peace for a bit in 1970 because there are other WWA guys on some cards too.

Actually I have a few Bob Luce Wrestling Life programs from that period that feature Sheik on the outside pages of the 8 page program.
Sheik never made the lineup pages but I do think he was on his way to the WWA and Chicago before they went to war again.

In an article from Scott Teal's Whatever happened to?
Roger Kirby says that he went out to wrestle for Leone for about a year and was sort of his body guard as well as a wrestler. Leone made big money from restaurants he owned and was looking for a tax write off so he promoted wrestling.

Brazil and Snyder flew out for a week or two just so Leone could BS with some of his buddies from the old days.

In an article from Scott Teal's Whatever happened to?
Roger Kirby says that he went out to wrestle for Leone for about a year and was sort of his body guard as well as a wrestler. Leone made big money from restaurants he owned and was looking for a tax write off so he promoted wrestling.

Brazil and Snyder flew out for a week or two just so Leone could BS with some of his buddies from the old days.

Knoxville, Illinois was an AWA town for years but it turned WWA along with Peoria around the time Bruiser sold his share of the Chicago office to Verne Gagne.
The fans had to really hate that trade off.

Have to give you more work.
You can also add any matches Snyder has on those results to his record too as they're not listed on Snyder's record here. When Tim gives the complete cards you'll probably find a ton of Snyder and Crusher results too.

Once I check over the remainder of the DTB stuff. I'll take a look at the Snyder matches. He appeared in FW quite a few times without DTB. I'll start checking what I have versus what you have and add when I can. Thanks Jim and Rich, this is awesome to see how much mileage and area these guys covered back then. Amazing stuff.

I'm wondering if this match ever took place. The flyer is printed up but there are no other matches listed.
I read a Mike Labell interview once and he listed Snyder as being one of the most difficult persons he ever had to work with. Maybe Snyder held him up for money and didn't get it? Nomellini too? I think it's time to ask Yohe.

Was just looking through some old Chicago programs and found out the
August 10, 1968 card headlined by Snyder vs Dr. X was held in Donovan Hall
which was at the south end of the main arena at The Amphitheatre complex.
Please add it to the AWA results too.